REVIEWS FROM ALBANY Keene Sentinel October 14, 2015 By Frank Behrens A 1914 Victor Herbert show given in revised format: “The Only Girl”— with less dialogue, more music Since Victor Herbert wrote stage musicals from 1895 to 1924, it is no wonder that his music (and VICTOR HERBERT plots) evolved from the European operetta type The (Naughty Marietta and The Princess Pat) to shows like The Only Girl (1914) that sound like early Only Girl Jerome Kern with their ragtime numbers and con- Revised edition by Michael Phillips Kyle Erdos-Knapp temporary plots. With available CD recordings of Antoni Mendezona several Herbert works (with dialogue) from the Ohio Natalie Ballenger Sarah Best Light Opera, it is a pleasant pastime to trace this Sarah Mossman development. Now Light Opera of New York is Ian McEuen joining in with recordings on the Albany label like Adam Cannedy Cameron Smith Orange Blossoms (1921) and now The Only Girl. I must emphasize that this Only Girl is a “revised Light Opera of New York Gerald Steichen, conductor edition.” The original, as the very helpful program notes tell us, had more dialogue than music and seemed “more like a play with some good music.” So Stage singers with strong voices, such as Sarah Best as Jane, Director Michael Phillips scuttled most of the dialogue and fine comic voices from the other females. that was filled with references to current events, revised The score is very pleasant without having many really what was left and kept but rearranged the songs. memorable numbers, but it is conducted with a passion The plot involves a temperamental lyricist by Gerald Steichen. Well worth the hearing, especially nicknamed “Kim” (tenor Kyle Erdos-Knapp), who for local theatre groups looking for something out of the finds his perfect composer in Ruth Wilson (soprano ordinary to perform. Antoni Mendezona). He cannot bear the thought of a female partner and... Well, one can guess. The songs are mostly light hearted and typical of “Well worth the hearing...The score their times. There is a scene in which the men compete is very pleasant...conducted with in a song contest with the women and sing an anti- marriage song, “Bachelors don’t learn a bit of sense.” a passion by Gerald Steichen.” The women reply with “Ages ago, as you well know” “Mendezona’s lovely voice is oper- and are given the prize. And since this is a show about atic, which is appropriate for a “putting on a show,” a few songs from the show within the show are merely sung as part of a rehearsal. work with songs that would be at Mendezona’s lovely voice is operatic, which is home in Herbert’s earlier works, appropriate for a work with songs that would be at while Erdos-Knapp’s sounds home in Herbert’s earlier works, while Erdos-Knapp’s more like those heard in current sounds more like those heard in current musicals— handsome, youthful. The secondary roles include musicals—handsome, youthful.”